


When I Look In Her Eyes, I Just See The Sky

by daasvedanya



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-09
Updated: 2012-04-09
Packaged: 2017-11-03 08:44:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/379477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daasvedanya/pseuds/daasvedanya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Belle proves herself adept at dealmaking, the tavern has only one available bed, and there is far too much pent up sexual tension in the land of fairytales.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When I Look In Her Eyes, I Just See The Sky

**Author's Note:**

> HEY LOOK I FINALLY WROTE RUMPELSTILTSKIN INSTEAD OF MR. GOLD. Adventures are fun!

Rumpelstiltskin began taking Belle with him on his deals because she was getting restless. He watched her cooped up in his ( _their_ ) castle and all he could see was the look on her face when she told him that her plans of seeing the world didn’t really work out. He sighed when he first asked her because he could hardly believe he was actually doing it. She, on the other hand, was elated. She had learned not to try and coax him into talking about his deals but it would be a lie upon her lips if she said she wasn’t desperate to know more about them.

She was suspicious at first, and he dodged in explaining himself. He claimed the company would be nice, perhaps even useful.

On the first several deals he made with her in tow, she didn’t feel like much use. She stood and she listened and she observed. While grateful for the fresh air and new sights, she knew it wasn’t going to be enough. Each village had its own personality and she realized they were puzzles to be put together. Unbeknownst to either of them, these trips gave them ample opportunity to learn more about each other. When she didn’t think he was looking, watching as her eyes lit up with curiosity, he was. He assumed she had no actual interest in his deals; on the contrary, she always paid acute attention to them, closely studying how he conducted his deals (and making notes of how he could improve them).

He, however, had no use for notes.

They were back at the ( _their_ ) castle and she was bringing in their evening tea. She chewed on the inside of her cheek nervously and he sensed it within moments.

“Anything the matter, dearie?”

She wrung her hands together. “I don’t think you should take me on your deals anymore.”

He raised his eyebrows in surprise; _that_ was not what he had been expecting. “Oh? And here I was thinking it was fulfilling all your hopes and dreams.”

“Not quite.” She began pouring them both cups; his, as always, in the chipped one. She never brought that fact up but she hadn’t been able to deny the way her stomach fluttered when he first insisted he use it after she’d chipped it. “I may be seeing more of the world but I’m hardly experiencing it.”

His narrowed eyes and mystified expression urged her to continue. “Well, we’re never gone for more than a day. And it’s not like I _do_ anything while we’re out. You make your deals, I stand around, and that’s it!”  He nearly expected her to throw her arms up in exasperation.

“These outings aren’t for your _pleasure_ , dearie. They’re _business_.”

“Have you forgotten that you told me I might actually be useful in conducting this… _business_?”

“Oh, you are! You don’t make me look quite as menacing, you know.” He let forth a high-pitched giggle as his hands wrapped possessively around his teacup. It was something she didn’t miss sight of.

“Unless, of course, they think I’m your hostage.” The way his face fell into a dumbfounded look filled the desire for satisfaction in the pit of her stomach and she smirked. “Regardless, if it’s just going to be us walking, or you getting us there by magic, and then coming right back here, I don’t see the point for my going.” She shrugged and carried her book and teacup to her chair by the fireplace.

 He watched her, eyes trained on her every movement, and hummed to himself, amused by her stubbornness. He didn’t think it would last very long, and smugly took a sip of his tea.

 

 

 

 

 

He found her dusting in the library (he was shocked to see that she was actually cleaning rather than leaving the duster abandoned for a book as he had walked in on many a time) when he was set to leave for his next deal. He cleared his throat and kept his distance lest his eyes linger longer than necessary up her legs which were at a perfect angle to be ogled as she stood on the ladder.

“Are you off for another deal?” It was the only reason she could think of for him coming to find her. They had grown comfortable with one another to hold conversations of varying topics but they rarely ever sought each other out merely for the sake of making idle talk.

“Indeed. And my offer still stands.”

“My answer remains the same unless you’ve changed your mind on my role or what all we will be doing.”

He fidgeted on the floor beneath her. “Very well. Try not to miss me too much, dearie.” He waved his hand in the air – whether to say goodbye or rub it in her face, she couldn’t tell. She turned back to dusting the rows and rows of books before her, the click of the door closing echoing throughout the room. She let her hand fall in defeat as soon as she was sure he was gone.

“Rumpelstiltskin!” She ran out onto the grounds after him. She could see that insufferable smirk he was sporting in every line of his body. He paused before turning and did absolutely nothing to hide his complacency.  She glared at him for that. “I would like to keep going with you. I may feel absolutely _useless_ but at least I get to see new places.” She huffed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

He laughed, airy and satisfied. “That’s the spirit!” She rolled her eyes and brushed past him without another word, bristling to his utter delight.

There was nothing new or remarkable about this deal. Belle sat at the table of the family’s home that they had invaded for Rumpelstiltskin to conduct his business. She sipped the tea that the wife had offered and sat in silence but closely watching her master manipulate his words that would always guarantee he benefitted from the deal. Today, however, she cocked her head to the side and scrunched her face up in disbelief. He was doing nothing different and that was the _problem_.

“Or perhaps if you allow the family to grow the plant to its full height, you would both benefit more.”

All eyes were suddenly on her and she flushed for a moment in the sudden stillness. Then she pushed herself up from the table and approached the group of dealmakers. She could feel Rumpelstiltskin’s eyes on her, terrified and angry and panicking, but she ignored them. “All I’m saying – mmph!”

“She’s not saying anything, I assure you.” Rumpelstiltskin said firmly, one hand clamped over her mouth, the other wrapped tight around her waist, fingers pressing into the fabric of her dress. If she wasn’t completely focused on trying to _help_ him, she was sure her knees would buckle at being pressed up against his side, inhaling his earthy scent. As much as she wanted to lick his palm, taste him and watch how far he would jump, she had other objectives on her mind that were more pressing.

She roughly pulled his arm down and stepped out of his grasp, closer to the couple. “That’s all you want, isn’t it?” She referred to the plant and her voice was kind, much kinder than his. She smiled gently, conveying her sympathy of how difficult it was to work with him. They seemed to relax instantly. “It seems a far simpler solution is right before your eyes. And I can guarantee his cooperation.” Rumpelstiltskin made a noise of protest behind her that died in his throat when she blindly reached out and pressed a finger to his lips, scorching to the touch. This was _her_ deal now.

“There, now. That wasn’t so difficult, was it?” She chirped as they walked away from the house, back to the ( _their_ ) castle, a spring in her step.

He grumbled beside her. “You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into, dearie.”

“Ah, ah. You were supposed to say _thank you_.” She linked her arm through his cheerily and ignored the way he stiffened at the contact, dragging him along at her pace.

 

 

 

 

 

She started feeling much more useful on their outings after that. He made sure it was still explicitly clear, to both her and whoever they were dealing with, that he was in charge with a snarl of his teeth. Still, he let her work the magic of her smile and she got to the point of thinking herself his partner. She brokered deals and kept his conditions in check and earned an unparalleled amount of satisfaction from it. The news traveled that Rumpelstiltskin had an accomplice in his stead, a pretty young thing that earned him more business. The look on his face as he began to realize the power she wielded was enough for her.

 

 

 

 

 

It was a brisk day in the middle of fall when he told her about the next deal they’d be going on. It seemed she had graduated for this was the first deal she would accompany him on that would take them several days. For these kinds of deals, he had still been going on his own, leaving her to fend for herself in the safe confines of a ( _their_ ) castle.

She raised her eyebrows in excitement. “Really? How long will we be gone? How far will we go?”

“Farther than you’ve ever gone before, dearie!” He laughed excitedly and begun spinning more gold for their excursion.

She packed lightly and wore one of the dresses he had once gotten for her before she began going with him on his deals. She remembered her delighted surprise when he first held up the lavender fabric, hanging from his fingertips like a waterfall. Before she stopped to think about it, she had thrown her arms around his neck in gratitude. Later, when she reflected on the moment, she decided even if she had paused to consider, she still would have done it. Physical contact was a gap she had begun to close long ago. She was charmed by the way he rippled beneath her touch and stilled, having lost the control he so urgently thrived on.

They arrived at their destination by dusk, having traveled part of the way by magic.

They were immediately greeted by the group of men who wished to make a deal with the notorious Rumpelstiltskin. Desperation was etched onto all of their faces. She had learned several deals ago that desperation was the most dangerous situations of all.

Rumpelstiltskin, apparently, had recognized it as well if the way he suddenly snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her protectively towards him was any indication. Introductions were exchanged; the air was thick with tension.

She jumped when she felt the warmth of his breath on the shell of her ear. “Go in and get us some rooms and dinner, dearie.” Before she could protest, he continued, “Let me get a feel for them first, I’m none too fond of how they’re looking at you.” Her lips parted but no words came out, stopped by the sudden lump in her throat. Though she wanted to stay, she found herself walking into the tavern with his laugh ringing in her ears.

She was sitting at a table in the corner of the tavern, cloak still drawn around her shoulders, when he came in. If she meant to hide, she was going a poor job of it as all eyes flitted towards the lone, mysterious female. He drew up his shoulders and added haughtiness to his step as he strode directly towards her, making it clear to all that she was spoken for.

“How did it go?” She asked as he took a seat across from her.

He ignored her inquiry and looked at the two plates of food on the table. “You haven’t eaten.”

“I was waiting for you.” And if Rumpelstiltskin blushed, she was sure he’d be doing that right now. A satisfied look fell across on her features and she pulled her plate towards her. “I’m coming tomorrow. You _know_ I’ve gotten good at this.”

“A conversation for morning, then.” He took a bite of food hungrily. “Ah, it’s been ages since I’ve had good food.” He smirked, she gasped, and they made quite the odd couple.

When they ascended the stairs of the tavern, she pulled a key from her pouch and approached a door.

“Dearie?” She looked over her shoulder at him. “My key?”

“Oh, didn’t I tell you? They only had one room left.”

 

 

 

 

 

“Rumpelstiltskin?” He stiffened beside her and she knew he was listening. “What you said earlier… about the men looking at me…”

He shifted uncomfortably and she shivered at the brush of his silk shirt against her bare arm. They laid side by side and stock still. She was in her nightgown, having deemed it ridiculous to sacrifice her comfort simply because they had to share a bad. He didn’t subscribe to that view. After shedding his vest and boots, he had eased himself onto the bed beside her, leather pants and all.

“You didn’t want them looking because you want to be the only one who looks at me that way.” It wasn’t a question and her lips pulled themselves upwards when she heard his breath catch. She turned onto her side to face him and he was staring unflinchingly at the ceiling, fingers threaded together over his stomach.

Reaching a hand out, she deftly undid a button on his shirt and slipped her hand quickly inside, pressing her palm against his sternum. He was cool to the touch; she was searing. He jumped as soon as she made contact and made to quickly scramble off the bed, uttering an endearment before she applied pressure with her palm and tugged at his shirt with her other hand. Before he could escape, she entangled a leg with his and ghosted her lips over his ear.

“It’s okay. We just… can’t kiss. Properly.” She scraped her nails over his skin and her stomach lurched at the way he shivered, at the way she held such power. “I know you want this.” She removed her hand from inside his shirt and before he had time to relax, she was gripping him through his leather pants. He let out a gasp before quickly biting it back. The noise made a sudden heat rush down between her thighs.

She was surprised at her own forwardness. Her involvement with the opposite sex had, up until this point, been limited to chaste kisses with Gaston as mere formalities. She had proven to herself she could be brave and she was finding it a high. She squeezed lightly and felt him throbbing beneath her hand, clearly aching for this, however much he struggled to deny it.

She continued unbuttoning his shirt with her other hand and whispered hotly, lips running over his jaw, “Rumpelstiltskin, _please_.”

Any self-control he had jumped out the window. He was quick and she had no time to react before he was hovering over her. His knees pressed against her hips and his hands held her wrists down against the bed on either side of her head. “You’re quite the little temptress, aren’t you?” He growled.

She bit her lip and her gaze on him never wavered. “I can’t help what I want. And neither can you. Not for long.”

She felt the rise and fall of her chest quicken the longer he stared at her, unflinching. Suddenly she was very aware of their position and what she had done. A flush rose to her cheeks and Rumpelstiltskin smirked.

“Suddenly nervous, dearie?” He paused and for a moment the only sound in the room was their mingled breathing. “I think you know very well why I didn’t want those men…gazing at you. And I’m a monster,” he hissed and leaned down. “I won’t be able to stop.”

She turned her chin upwards to put on an air of superiority but her nerves continued to shine through. She trembled beneath him. “Did I give any indication I wanted you to?” He licked his lips and was suddenly diving towards her neck. His own distraction allowed her to free her hands and before he could make contact with her skin, she was pushing up on his shoulders, away from her. She saw the panic cross his face immediately.

“I’ve told you this before and frankly, I’d appreciate it if this is the last time I have to tell you.” His brow furrowed and his shifted impatiently. “You’re not a monster.” The air in the room transformed and she lifted a hand to brush the back of her fingers across his cheek. “I want you. Just the way you are.”

He swallowed. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“Shush.” She ducked her hands under his arms and up over his back, pressing down lightly. “You know more than anyone that I make my own choices. And I choose you.”

He sucked in a breath and when he moved his head down again, he was slower this time. His lips hovered above her skin until finally – _finally_ – they made contact. He heard her make a small ‘ _oh_ ’ sound above him as he began to pay very close attention to her neck and shoulders with his lips, teeth, and tongue. He covered every inch of her skin, wanting what he had only dared dream of before to last as long as possible.

She had busied herself by returning her hands to his chest and finishing unbuttoning his shirt. She hardly knew what she was doing and was following instinct the whole way. He suddenly sat up as she began to push his shirt off his shoulders and shrunk away from her, resting his hips down on hers.

“Don’t say anything, don’t even _think_ it,” she said as though reading his mind. She traced her fingers lightly across his chest, over his skin. She pressed the pad of her thumb down above his heart. “I… may not know what I’m doing,” she laughed nervously. “But I know this is right.”

He stared at her for several moments before slowly shrugging off his shirt and letting it fall behind him. “You’ve always been a quick learner.”

It took all of her willpower not to lean up and kiss the oxygen straight out of him. She settled, instead, for running her hands over his back as he returned his attention to her neck. She jumped and bit back a moan when his hands were suddenly on her thighs, pushing her nightgown up. He grinded his hips down into hers and she could feel him through his pants and a shudder overtook her. She could hardly wrap her head around the fact that this was happening; much less that he so openly _desired_ her.

“O-Oh!” His thumb pressed against her underwear and slowly began to make circles. She writhed against him and her breaths came out in short pants. With hardly any idea of what was happening and that the sensations sweeping over her could actually _exist_ , she pulled him down and began to hungrily presses kisses to his collar bone.

He dropped his head into the curve of her neck and felt his legs trembling with impatience. Pushing aside her underwear, he brushed her softly and felt his leather pants tighten even more at the sound she made. Without any warning, he slipped a finger inside of her and almost immediately felt her tighten around him. Her nails had embedded themselves in his back and he hissed, crooking his finger and reveling in the low moan that escaped from her.

“Want… want you, Rumpelstiltskin.”

That breathless request did him in. Rubbing her hard for a last moment, he sat up again and began to undo is pants. He paused when his eyes caught sight of her and he couldn’t stop himself from watching her intently. She lay beneath him, flushed and so naively filled with first lust. He swallowed. “There’s no going back after this, dearie.”

She reached out and took his hands in hers. “Belle.” He repeated her name softly and she graced him with a smile. “And there was no going back that first day I went with you. Forever, remember?”

Without breaking eye contact, he untied the front of her nightgown and pulled down the material past her breasts. She pressed herself down into the mattress, suddenly nervous over him seeing her so bare. A deep blush spread rapidly to her cheeks and her arms made to cover herself instinctively. He was too quick for her however and gently prevented her arms from doing so.

“Ah, ah. If I must, you must.” He moved his hands to her breasts and softly circled her nipples with his thumbs. “You’re beautiful.” Her blush only reddened at that. She arched up into his touch and felt her entire body shaking. Whether from nerves or excitement or desire or fear, she couldn’t say. Perhaps it was everything but the more she could feel him pressing down on her, the less she could fight her desire.

While he was distracted, she quickly finished untying his leather breeches and pushed a hand past the material to palm him softly. She looked up at him curiously when his hands had stilled and saw his eyes closed, mouth hung open. A smirk spread across her lips and she pressed harder, feeling herself grow hotter by the second.

His eyes shot open and were darker, filled with a carnal desire. He sat up on his knees and pushed his pants down. Making quick work of her underwear, he was leaning over her, length in hand when she tensed beneath him. He looked at her and murmured, “Relax. It will only hurt for a moment.” He slid into her, slowly, and in that moment, the pain made itself apparent on her face in a silent sob. He nearly regretted it and made to move out, convincing himself it was all a mistake, until her arms were around him pulling him closer.

“Oh gods, Rumpelstiltskin.” She breathed into his neck and clung as her hips awkwardly began to meet his. He swallowed and thrust deeper into her, pressing their bodies as close as they could get. They developed a rhythm to the creaking of the bed and her moans were low and telling. He matched her with growls as his hips became more erratic with feral lust.

When Belle looked back on this moment, she recognized its lack of romance but appreciated its intimacy and what it had been a culmination of. She also knew it had been the start of the dominoes falling. She eventually made a checklist to see if they could cross off all the rooms in their castle.

 

 

 

 

 

When she woke the next morning, the first thing she became cognizant of was a hand softly nestled against her bare breast. She sleepily blinked down at it and then realized that the strange thing her back was resting against was an arm. Rolling over, she came face to face with a sleeping Rumpelstiltskin and her stomach lurched happily. She curled into him, shifting so she was no longer cutting off the circulation in his arm. After several moments of gazing him and grinning deliriously to herself, the unmistakable sound of her stomach growling disrupted the peace.

Huffing, she pressed a light kiss to his shoulder before nimbly climbing out of the bed and hastily getting dressed. She shut the door silently behind her.

She was nearly finished with her meal by the time Rumpelstiltskin descended the stairs, cloak and hood pulled tightly around him. He approached her cautiously and took a seat opposite her. She took it upon herself to scoot her chair closer to his.

“I took the liberty of getting you food.” She smiled sweetly.

He was apparently pleased with the hot meal in front of him but his entire demeanor was stiff. “Belle…”

She interrupted him by leaning forward and intimately pressing a kiss to his cheek, sucking on the skin there for a moment. “Good morning to you too. I take it you slept well?”

He cleared his throat. “Better than I have in ages,” he admitted. He almost regretted it when an air of smugness overtook her. Throughout his meal, however, he considerably relaxed and when she cooed in his ear, he found himself smirking and his fingers seeking her dress out. He pulled her closer by the hip and quickly pressed a kiss to her brow before resuming his meal lest he lost control and made a scene.

By the time he was finished, Belle was watching him in anticipation. He pursed his lips, amused. “Yes?”

“I believe we have a deal to finish.”

“Ah, _I_ have a deal to finish. As I recall, _you_ never started one.”

“Because _you_ wouldn’t let me!”

“And I believe I have all the more reason to continue not letting you on this one now.”

She paused and flushed at that. “As sweet as that may _be_ ,” she took his hand beneath the table and squeezed it (a little harder than she necessarily needed to, he thought). “It’s not convincing in the least. We do these _together_ now.”

He argued that it was merely this specific deal he did not want her part of and she, as she would many times again in the future, argued back and won.

When they left the tavern to meet the group of men from before, Belle and Rumpelstiltskin had a clear of air confidence between them and their arms brushed one another as they walked. There was a certain saunter in Belle’s step that was driving him absolutely wild as well. He made a note to observe that more closely once they had finished their business here.

“Oh, you’ve brought your lady friend back.” One of the men remarked as the couple approached their group. He spoke dumbly and lustily. “We were hopin’ we’d see her again. Shame you had to deprive us of her last night.”

Rumpelstiltskin grinned at the memory of how he had very much _not_ been deprived of her the night before. His breeches tightened slightly and he shifted on his feet. He realized then that she was going to become a very different kind of distraction now. “I reckon you’ll be thinking otherwise once we’ve made our deal.”

Any doubt he still held that Belle couldn’t handle herself vanished after that deal. Despite the several passes that the men attempted to make at her, trying to entice her away from the wicked clutches of the Dark One, she was never once swayed. After some time of continually getting rebuffed, the men realized the woman they were dealing with was here only for business (the pleasure, Belle knew, would come later if she had read the very turned on expression of Rumpelstiltskin correctly).

In the end, Belle had made the deal, with a little help from her lover, quite successfully, and with much more of a benefit to themselves than the men. As they departed, Rumpelstiltskin made no secret of his impatience when he pulled Belle sharply up against him and transported them both to their castle. He knew the price for that magic would be worth it and paid for in full.


End file.
